Parallel world chat

[LupusDei]

So, a guy has a severe crush on a girl, but has difficulties to start to talk with her for whatever reason. He tries to contact her (phone/internet), but either he does something strange or something weird happens. Eventually, he starts to exchange messages with someone he believes is her.

Attempt to arrange a physical date fails, by both of them claiming the other didn't arrive. Trying to mend the ensuing fight they exchange additional information that make it clear their understanding of reality has certain incompatibilities. Bob isn't talking with his Alice, Bob is talking with an alt-Alice from a parallel reality that has small but important differences from Bob's reality.

There's a number of courses of action that can be explored at this point. He may use information obtained from alt-Alice to approach Alice in his reality. Such approach may range from assuming shared preferences to blackmail. Depending how he manages it, alt-Alice may offer help or be not at all happy to be used this way. Likewise, alt-Alice may seek help to develop her interests that may or may not include relationship with alt-Bob. Those interests may or may not parallel interests of Alice in Bob's reality

Of course, the unnatural comlink may eventually be broken or abandoned, by accident, action or no explanation at all, likely without further consequences. However, if the contact persists, I would expect the alternative realities to evolve towards convergence triggered by the information exchange. This too may happen in a number of different ways.

 

[LupusDei]

Inserting some specifics into above framework.

For nice immediately visible differences we may define the alternative reality as a nudist world. There may or not be other major differences in their alt histories, but for, like, all through twenty century that world had took every opportunity towards normalizing public nudity. Perhaps not to irrational extremes, but it can have locally pronounced maximum coinciding with Bob&Alice's location and/or have had a recent fad towards absolutes that leave alt-Alice as shocked that Bob wears clothes than Bob that nobody in Alt-Alices neighborhood does.

Yes, this leaves so much easy blackmail material in form of fotovisual data from otherwise near-identical world it's almost unlikely the temptation to abuse it somehow wouldn't be tried. However, depending on the convergence mode of the realities it may not have expected effects.

 

[LupusDei]

On convergence modes:

• Awareness of alternative. Depends on initiative of actors, actively copying techniques or practices learned in contacts with the outsiders
• Shared facts merge into material history. A magical process that, upon certain circumstances incorporate newly received information as historically true. It doesn't necessarily mean that everyone immediately change their existing behaviors and/or attitudes in accordance.
• Memory transfer. A magical process that upon certain triggers allows persons to acquire limited memory fragments from alt-persons (or vice versa) that may replace, compliment or contradict existing memories. Eventually full merging on a personal level may or not be achievable.
• Direct contact. A method to physically transfer between the realities is found and used. Interaction with alt-twins may or not be weird or restricted.

Some, but not any of those may potentially be combined.

 

[FantasySheWrote]

What if it’s an alternate timeline?

Alt world is one where a particular event occurred that established a matriarchy and where gender roles are reversed, leaving alt-alice as the one seeking attention of alt-bob. So Bob and alt-Alice help the other woo their own counterparts.

 

[LupusDei]

What if it’s an alternate timeline?

Alt world is one where a particular event occurred that established a matriarchy and where gender roles are reversed, leaving alt-alice as the one seeking attention of alt-bob. So Bob and alt-Alice help the other woo their own counterparts.

Yes. That's the point it's an alternate timeline.

Although technically not necessarily, it's just more fun if there are easily identifiable differences.

Differences in relative gender power could be one of such possible differences. Although, not necessary for them seeking attention of their respective counterparts, in my opinion, especially if the setting is contemporary where the gender power difference is not at all that large (I may be biased by my environment though, living in historically matriarchal European country). There's certainly room to exaggerate such differences if Bob's reality is a bit warped too.

While I imagine it set in computer era where they can exchange files, photos and video chat, it perhaps might be very interesting period piece set in time with first automatic commutation telephones.

 

[FantasySheWrote]

Yes. That's the point it's an alternate timeline.

Although technically not necessarily, it's just more fun if there are easily identifiable differences.

Differences in relative gender power could be one of such possible differences. Although, not necessary for them seeking attention of their respective counterparts, in my opinion, especially if the setting is contemporary where the gender power difference is not at all that large (I may be biased by my environment though, living in historically matriarchal European country). There's certainly room to exaggerate such differences if Bob's reality is a bit warped too.

While I imagine it set in computer era where they can exchange files, photos and video chat, it perhaps might be very interesting period piece set in time with first automatic commutation telephones.

I think there’s a lot of potential here.